Neon Genesis Evangelion: Rejection
by Jusenkyo Guide
Summary: Taking place shortly after the battle with the 14th Angel, Ikari Shinji finds that his relationships with his fellow pilots has started to change. It is during this time of unrest that it becomes evedent that something is wrong with Rei, she's smiling.


Jusenkyo Productions Proudly Presents A Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction Rejection  
  
As usual, I don't own Eva, I'm not depressed enough to. There might actually be spoilers in here. C&C or MST Please. And if you can read this you don't need glasses. ~_^  
  
*Historian's Note: This takes place shortly after the recovery of Ikari Shinji from EVA Unit-01 after the battle with the 14th Angel. Everything else should be discarded*  
  
Prolog  
  
Everything was light and noise. Flashes came to the boy, but he was unable to make sense of it. His eyes hurt as a bright light was shined into them. He was being poked and pricked by things but he couldn't move or fight back.  
  
"He's still not responding, Dr. Akagi."  
  
More pain, this time it came from a long hard object that was being inserted into his arm. But again he seemed disconnected from it all, as if his body was nothing more than a slab of meat; and he was dispassionately watching it being butchered. Instead he felt... warmth, comfort, and a mother's touch. The feeling that as long as mother was there, nothing could go wrong, he would be protected from the hurts of his father. Mother meant comfort. Father, pain.  
  
A new sensation came to him, warm wetness, and a hard grasp on his hand. The boy opened his eyes slightly and turned his head. A vision of black and red, a woman holding his hand and... crying? That can't be right, the face shouldn't cry. It should be... what? Happy, mad, concerned, carefree.  
  
"Mother?" he whispered. The woman cried harder.  
  
"Rest, Shinji, just try to rest." The woman said between tears.  
  
Shinji concentrated, "Misato-san?" Not mother then. Mother was gone, taken into the belly of the beast. Taken by "Father!"  
  
Shinji bucked and screamed as the images came back to him. EVA! He had piloted EVA Unit-01 again. He remembered the fight, Asuka's EVA, decapitated. Ayanami's EVA Unit-00, still damaged, running with a N2 mine strait at the Angel.  
  
"Dr. Akagi, his vital signs are all over the place!"  
  
"Get him sedated now! I want to get a reading off his patterns. Misato, get the hell out of here! And someone get the ER team ready, I want them there."  
  
He had confronted his father again, he needed to pilot Unit-01, Kaji had told him why. He needed to save them all. He piloted and then EVA... The EVA had taken him in. Had shown him its secret, he had finally found his... what? It was slipping away as the hallway rolled on above him. Doors opened and closed and more needles were injected. The calm came back, but this was different. He was being suppressed, asked to sleep. His final thought as sleep overcame him was two red eyes and 'Ayanami.'  
  
*** Ikari Gendou's office, as the Supreme Commander of NERV, was in one word, intimidating. He always made sure that the lights were set at the lowest levels as well as the temperature. Any sound echoed and the effect was perfect to put people on edge. The man himself did everything to help that feeling along, sitting at his desk with his hands folded, eyes not showing behind his tinted glasses. The rumor at NERV was that the Commander wasn't actually a person, but a block of finely carved granite. Most of the command staff felt that, given his reactions to his own son, if not the whole man, at least his heart was stone.  
  
Gendou sat listening to the reports of both Misato and Ritsuko. Although it was his son they were talking about, he didn't blink or show any concern beyond the question of, "Will he be able to pilot again?"  
  
Ritsuko coughed nervously, "The surgery team says yes. I feel that we need to keep a close eye on him, however. She glanced over at Misato to see how her friend would take this.  
  
Misato's fuse was already lit, "Can he...?" She broke off and glared at the Commander. "The question is should he?! Shinji has just gone through more hell than anyone, especially a child, should have to go through!"  
  
Gendou didn't even blink, "I would remind you, Major, that child is part of the force keeping all of us alive. If he can fight, he will fight."  
  
"He's a child for God's sake!" Misato screamed. "He can't keep this up!"  
  
"That does not matter," Gendou replied coldly.  
  
Misato launched herself at Gendou's desk, with a wide sweep of her arm; she dumped what little there was on the floor. Grasping the edge of the desk so hard that her knuckles turned white, she shoved her face into the Commander's; he didn't even blink. "He's your son, you cold hearted bastard! Doesn't that mean one God damn thing to you?"  
  
"Major Katsuragi!" Fuyutsuki barked from Gendou's side.  
  
Slowly, Misato let go of Gendou's desk and inch-by-inch backed off. She resumed her position next to Ritsuko. Stiff as a board and glaring at the wall behind Gendou, Misato grated out "My apologies, Commander."  
  
"Fuyutsuki, take the major outside and let her cool off."  
  
Fuyutsuki nodded to Gendou and started to walk towards the door to Gendou's office. As he passed Misato, her shoulders slumped in defeat. Turning slowly, she followed him.  
  
Gendou spared one glance at the retreating form of Misato then focused back on Ritsuko. "What is the status of Rei?"  
  
Ritsuko frowned slightly and she pulled her ever-present clipboard tighter into her breasts. "The tests showed that the effectiveness has dropped down from 99% to 75% in the past week and a half. The drop rate has been increasing."  
  
"I see. How long?"  
  
Ritsuko sighed, "Given the rate of decline, maybe 3 more weeks. Perhaps 5 if I can come up with some way to arrest it."  
  
"Symptoms?"  
  
"What you've observed before; seizures, irrational behavior, for Rei, and as one side takes control, increasing emotional displays. And finally, who knows."  
  
"What do you recommend?" Gendou asked, his face and voice still devoid of all emotion.  
  
"I don't know. I don't know if I can ever reverse it. And quite honestly I don't know if we can ever bring her back after this."  
  
"I see, thank you Doctor. You're dismissed till tonight."  
  
Ritsuko shivered a little then turned and walked out of the office, each of her footfalls making a loud echoing sound. Gendou sat as he always did, a finely carved block of stone.  
  
In Rei's apartment, Rei moaned in her sleep, drops of sweat beaded her forehead. As she turns over in pain-haunted slumber, strange moving lumps roll along her back.  
  
***  
  
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Chapter 1a: The Beast Within  
  
A few days later, the morning light in Tokyo-3 reveled a shattered city. No longer was this city the proud fort which to rebuild the world for mankind, instead it was a desperate sanctuary that was under constant siege. The defenders of this city, the special children, awoke to the morning light in their own ways.  
  
Asuka turned and swatted the alarm clock that was ringing incessantly by her bedside. It flew from the table to strike the floor with one last clang before falling silent.  
  
"Asuka, it's getting to be expensive to keep buying you alarm clocks," Misato noted from the doorway.  
  
Asuka turned a look on her guardian that spoke volumes about the subject of alarm clocks and what Misato could possibly do with one. "Go away," she growled.  
  
Misato sighed and moved into the room a little more to stand at the foot of the young girl's bed. "Asuka, I know you're not a morning person, but we're bringing Shinji home today. In other words, it's time to get up and get dressed."  
  
Asuka's lips formed into a sneer, "What, the Great Third Children can't get home from the hospital by himself? He can do anything you know. He could probably get that verdamn killing machine of his to bring him back here."  
  
If Misato was shocked by her ward's words, she gave no sign. Instead she folded her arms over her chest and gazed at Asuka not saying anything.  
  
"He's so good and great and wonderful. Him and that doll don't need anyone else you know." Asuka continued, her voice rising in volume, "They don't need NERV, they don't NEED you, they don't even NEED the EVAs!" Asuka was screaming by now. "They don't need anyone!"  
  
"You mean they don't seem to need you?" Misato cut through Asuka's rant with a cool voice. Asuka flinched back as if slapped. "But you see, Asuka, they do need you. I seem to remember a few Angels that got taken out only because you all learned to work as a team."  
  
"Well this team member got her head cut off and..." Asuka started.  
  
"And all this one could do is sit there and watch a monster almost destroy the world and another absorb someone she cares about." Misato snapped, her voice laden with anger, "You want a guilt trip young lady? Remind me to tell you what it's like sending the three of you out in those things and WATCHING you get your fucking heads cut off! You want to know what it's like to see the closest thing you have to your children get hurt time and time again? Working for that block of stone that calls himself a commander?" Misato leaned down closer to Asuka, forcing the red head to back up into the wall behind her bed. "Or how about Second Impact? YOU feel that you're life's shit because of your mother." Asuka's face paled at the mention of her mother and tears formed before being wiped away by a quick hand.  
  
Misato continued, "But I have to live with the knowledge that MY father might have killed off half the people on the globe! Would you like some of that guilt? Don't think that you're the ONLY one here with it, Asuka. And right now Shinji's waiting for us to come and pick him up, you remember him, the guy who saved. Your. Life!"  
  
Misato drew in a breath to continue her tirade, but stopped when she saw more tears start. She backed up and in a quiet voice said, "I'm sorry Asuka, this has been hell for me and all of you. I just don't want to end up using you all as tools, I care too much about you for that."  
  
"Just go away Misato, go away and leave me the hell alone!" Asuka screamed at Misato then turned towards the wall and curled up into a tight ball around a stuffed bear that Kaji had given her on the trip from Germany to Tokyo-3. Her shoulders shook slightly as she muffled her sobs into the toy. Misato reached for the younger girl then stopped when a muffled "Leave me alone!" came from Asuka.  
  
Misato slumped a little and turned and started walking out of Asuka's room.  
  
"Misato?" Asuka said in a quiet voice that stopped the major from just going out of the doorway.  
  
"Yes, Asuka," Misato replied without turning to look at the still sobbing girl.  
  
"Tell Shinji that I hope that he's ok. And tell him... that I said thank you."  
  
Misato smiled slightly, "I will Asuka," she said. She walked out of the room, reaching behind her to slide the door closed.  
  
In the darkened room, Asuka held the bear tight to her. "Anata baka," she whispered to the tear-stained animal then hugged it tighter.  
  
***  
  
Shinji awoke to sunlight streaming into his window and on his face, actual sunlight, not the light directed down to the GeoFront or the artificial lighting that lit the underground headquarters of NERV, but actual sunlight from the sun. Turning slightly, he could make out the gaping hole that the 14th Angle blew through the GeoFront's armor through the window. Through that hole, he could see the yellow sun and blue sky. With a sigh, he turned and looked back up into the ceiling.  
  
"This ceiling is no longer unfamiliar," he murmured to himself. He had been slipping in and out of sleep ever since he was recovered from the EVA. Ritsuko had come by to explain what had happened to him while doing yet another test on him to see what effects being absorbed into the EVA might have had on him. Misato had come by shortly after he had regained conciseness and even Kaji had stopped by to see how he was doing, ask him a few questions, and give him some of the watermelon he had harvested.  
  
Three people were conspicuous in their absence however. His father he never really expected to see. Even that small praise he had received from his father didn't seem to have changed the way things stood between him and Gendou. Ayanami and Asuka, however, had not come by yet. When he last awoke in the NERV infirmary it was to find Ayanami watching over him and Asuka peeking from the door. He wasn't sure why he expected them here this time, but their lack of presence saddened him.  
  
Today, however, Misato and Asuka were supposed to come and bring him back to the apartment and so it was time to get up and get ready. With a sigh, Shinji heaved himself up and started to pull on his clothes. They had found his plug suit in the entry plug of the EVA, which was odd considering he went in wearing his school uniform. Given that his entire wardrobe consisted of that uniform and plug suit, Misato had volunteered to go out shopping for him to buy him some badly needed clothes.  
  
The result was a riot of colors and styles that were piled in bags on the chair and the foot of his bed. Evidently, Misato's little errand had attracted the attention of the rest of the bridge staff and they had joined in to buy Shinji something to wear. Cats adorned a t-shirt, an electric guitar twisted around the leg of a black pair of pants, penguins danced on a Hawaiian shirt, those and a spare NERV uniform were easily seen on top of an overflowing bag. Shinji however pulled on the school uniform that NERV had sent along with a new plug suit.  
  
He sat at the foot of the bed, waiting for Misato to come pick him up. 'What other choice do I have now?' he thought to himself, 'I piloted EVA again. My only worth is that.'  
  
***  
  
Rei awoke to damp twisted sheets. They looped around and about her body as if trying to keep her tied to her bed. She slowly sat up without seeming to notice the sheets except to push them off of her as she moved out of bed.  
  
Mechanically, she unbuttoned her top and let it fall to the bed behind her. The bottoms slid down her legs a few second later and she stepped free of them and walked to grab her towel and bath bucket that were sitting next to the door to her bathroom. She turned to look at the discarded clothing, noting the rips and tears long the back of the pajama top. For a second, her eyes seemed to turn inward. "It happened again," she whispered to herself as she walked to the bath to wash off the night's sweat.  
  
***  
  
"Shinji-kun! It's time to go!" Misato announced to the hospital at large as she threw open the door leading to the boy's room. Shinji looked up from his study of the hospital floor to see his guardian standing there with an intense smile on her face.  
  
"Misato-san," his said, then paused for a second, moving his head slightly to look behind the major. "Misato-san, where's Asuka?"  
  
Misato's bright smile dimmed, "Ah, well, she didn't feel too good and didn't want to get up," Misato said after a few moment's though. "She sends her best though and is waiting for you at home."  
  
Shinji smiled back and replied, "It's ok, Misato-san, I should be used to people not wanting to see me."  
  
Misato winced slightly at the off-handed reply. "Shinji, there are plenty of people who would like to see you. Asuka is one of them, she's just not feeling..."  
  
Shinji cut her off with a small wave of his hand, "Misato-san, it really is ok. I've accepted that my only worth is to pilot EVA." The boy sighed and gazed out the window into the bright sunlight again, "It is why I was asked to come here after all."  
  
Still troubled, Misato made no reply beyond, "Come on Shinji, it's time to go home."  
  
Shinji turned back to look at her again, "It will be nice to go home again."  
  
***  
  
The trip back to the apartment was made in silence. Misato wanted to reach out to her young charge, to try and force him to see that she at least cared about him, but the slight smile on Shinji's face held her back. It wasn't a fake smile, but it was forced. It was a smile that said we WOULD be enjoying ourselves no matter what has happened or will happen. She knew that smile way too well; it stared at her in the mirror every morning.  
  
Finally Shinji broke the silence, "Misato-san, where's Ayanami?"  
  
"I think she's at her apartment." Turning slightly in her seat to look at her charge, she grinned at him, "Why, Shinji-kun, you have a hot date with her?"  
  
Normally that statement would have caused the young pilot to blush and stammer, but this time he just levelly returned her gaze, "I have something important to tell her. Could we stop by there? Please?"  
  
Misato blinked, was this actually HER Shinji? "Um, sure. Need to pick up some food for the welcome home party of course and we can just pick Rei up at the same time."  
  
Shinji winced when he heard the word party. Misato smiled with relief this time, it was her Shinji after all. "Hang on Shinji," she said, pressing her foot down on the gas petal, "If we're going to get everything done, we'll have to speed up!"  
  
Shinji gulped and hoped that this trip wouldn't kill him.  
  
***  
  
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Chapter 1b: The Monster Without  
  
  
  
"Every time I come here I have to wonder what the Commander was thinking by putting Rei here. I know he's taken charge of her and he has the money to afford better living conditions for her than this!" Misato complained as she and Shinji made their way up the stairs to Rei's apartment. "Hell, that bastard lives in a huge house!"  
  
Her complaining took them to the door of the apartment and into the first few knocks. "And that's another thing, how could she even hear us over the constant pounding!"  
  
Shinji sighed and opened the door, forcing it back over the piles of junk mail that once again had accumulated through the mail slot. The apartment had gone back to its dirty abandoned looking state that it had been at before he had cleaned it up a bit. There were dirty clothes strewn about the room, including undergarments that Shinji tried hard not to look at too long. Misato would never let him hear the end of it; neither would Asuka when she found out. He hesitated for a second, then his sense of good manners forced him to remove his shoes and step gingerly through the dirt and trash.  
  
Behind him, he heard Misato do the same, "Remind me to buy Rei a few pairs of guest slippers at the store ok, Shinji?" she called to him.  
  
Shinji nodded absently and looked around for the First Children. She wasn't in the main area or the kitchen area of the apartment. He was about to knock on the closed door that separated the laundry and bathing rooms from the apartment when Misato called him back to Rei's bed.  
  
"Hey, Shinji!"  
  
"Yes, Misato-san?" he asked, turning away from the door and to where Misato was holding up a night shirt that had odd tears along its back. "Remind me to also get Rei some new pajamas as well ok?" Then, unable to resist teasing him, she added with a grin, "I'll make sure to pick out something that you would appreciate."  
  
This time she got the blush that she had been looking for earlier in the car ride over, "Mi-Mi-Misato-san! It's not like that!" Shinji stammered out.  
  
Grinning like that cat that had just figured out how to open the canary's cage, "Oh? Would you prefer something that looked good off of her?"  
  
Shinji's answer was cut short by the sound of the door opening and quiet slippered footsteps coming across the floor. Shinji turned then looked back quickly and gulped. It was the second time he had seen Rei naked coming in from her bath.  
  
"Oh my God!" Misato whispered.  
  
Rei stopped in mid-toweling of her hair to look at her two houseguests. "Ikari-kun, Major Katsuragi" she greeted quietly, her red eyes taking in the trembling boy and the pale faced major.  
  
Misato was the first to find her voice, "Um, Rei, sorry for the intrusion. But Shinji-kun here wants to tell you something."  
  
Rei's facial expression registered a brief look of surprise, shocking Misato again. The First casually dropped the still damp towel on the floor and walked fully nude in front of Shinji. "Yes, Ikari-kun?"  
  
The poor boy's eyes bulged and he blushed even harder. "Ayanami, I, well, I wanted to."  
  
Rei tilted her head slightly and closed the distance between her and Shinji.  
  
Shinji tried hard to look only in her deep red eyes and not anywhere else on her pale form. He also tried to ignore the soft warm feeling of Rei's breath on his face, as well as the casual brush of her skin on his clothing and his skin as well. "Tonight, there's going to be. I mean, Misato is throwing a welcome home party, and I would." Shinji babbled.  
  
'He looks about as red as Unit-02' Misato noted then decided to take pity on the pilot. "I'm tossing a welcome home party for Shinji and we're hoping you can make it."  
  
Rei smiled very very slightly, her eyes dancing with suppressed joy. "I would like that" she said, still gazing into Shinji's blue eyes. "I will come with you."  
  
"You... you will?" Shinji asked hesitantly.  
  
Rei's smile widened. "I would enjoy it greatly to be with you, Ikari- kun," she said causing Shinji to panic more.  
  
Misato choked at her words. 'What has gotten into Rei? Did Ritsu start adding drugs to her LCL mix?' Once again, Misato took pity on Shinji. "We've got to get some food first. Would you like to join us, that way you don't have to worry about getting there on your own?"  
  
Rei took her gaze from Shinji and transferred it to Misato. "Thank you, Major Katsuragi, I would." She backed up from Shinji who finally started to breath again and started to head towards the door to her apartment.  
  
"Um, Rei?" Misato said hesitantly. "You probably should get dressed first. Shinji and I will wait for you at the car, ok?"  
  
"Yes, Major Katsuragi" Rei replied and moved to her dresser and started to pull on clothes.  
  
Misato grabbed Shinji and started to pull him out of the apartment. 'Is it me, or did Rei look disappointed when I said that? Maybe Ritsu IS adding drugs to her LCL.' She thought taking the Third back to her car.  
  
Rei had reappeared a few minutes later in her school uniform. Misato sighed as she looked at both her charge and Rei. "Don't the two of you have any other clothing than just your school uniforms?"  
  
Rei considered the question for a second, "I have my plug suit, but that should only be used when I am piloting or during a test."  
  
"That's it, I'm taking the both of you clothes shopping next week!" she declared. "I would have thought that Shinji at least would have worn something that we got him in the hospital, but I see that I'll just need to force the two of you into something else."  
  
Rei nodded slightly, then climbed into the back of Misato's car. Shinji started to push the front seat back to allow him to sit up front when Misato asked him, "What? Aren't you going to sit back there with Rei?"  
  
Shinji look at Rei who nodded ever so slightly. Sighing, he climbed in the back and belted himself in.  
  
Misato grinned again and got into the vehicle herself. Sitting down, she adjusted the rearview mirror and noted that the cramped conditions of her car made Shinji and Rei have to sit together shoulder to shoulder. "Ready" she asked? "Let's go then!"  
  
***  
  
The ride was somewhat uncomfortable for Shinji. The reason was Rei. She seemed different for some reason, and being pressed this close to her due to the confines of the backseat didn't help. Each brush to skin against skin, each time her weight would press into him as Misato took a curve, would remind him of her apartment that morning and the feel of her skin then.  
  
Also confusing to him was her reactions. After her brief display of emotions this morning, she has retreated back to how she usually was, face passive showing nothing. Currently she gazed out the window of Misato's car as it roared across the hills surrounding Tokyo-3, heading from the store to Misato's apartment.  
  
The trip to get food had taken longer than planned given that most of the stores has closed due to the Angel attacks and Misato insisting on getting Rei both slippers for guests and a new pair of pajamas. Thankfully, for Shinji's blood pressure at least, the local lingerie store was also closed due to an attack and Misato was forced to buy Rei some plain cream- colored tops.  
  
The result of the side trips meant that instead of arriving in mid morning or even afternoon back at the apartment, the sun was slowly sinking into the horizon as Misato sped back to her place.  
  
"Well," Misato called back to the silent pair in her back seat as she pulled into her parking spot, "I doubt that we'll have much time before everyone shows up."  
  
That turned out to be a gross understatement as the trio found out when the walked into the apartment to find everyone waiting for them.  
  
"Um, hi everyone!" Misato called out cheerfully.  
  
Ritsuko pulled out of the small crowd of people to stand and smirk at Misato. "What's a matter, Major, got lost again?"  
  
Misato winced for a second, "We had to stop by and pick up Rei, and some food, and do a little shopping for her too."  
  
Ritsuko raised an eyebrow at that, "Rei went shopping?" she asked.  
  
"Well, more like I went shopping for Rei. She needed a new pajama top and some slippers for guests." Misato answered.  
  
The doctor frowned, "Why would she need a new top?"  
  
"The other one had ripped along the back."  
  
Before Ritsuko could pursue the incident any further, Misato dragged Rei and Shinji into the apartment with all the food and drinks. "Here he is!" she announced to the group, "Safe and sound and finally, home!"  
  
Shinji blushed under the regards of the group. Besides Ritsuko, who had gone back to sipping a beer, there were quite a few people in the small apartment. Kaji was talking to Maya, causing the younger woman to blush at some of his questions. Makoto was being bombarded by questions by Kensuke while Hikari played with Pen pen.  
  
Shinji stopped off in the kitchen to put away some of the food and bring some out. He also snagged two cans of iced tea for both himself and Rei. Returning to the main room, he handed the can to Rei who regarded it with some confusion before opening it and taking a small sip.  
  
"Where's Asuka?" Shinji asked.  
  
The party grew quiet, "She's in... In her room, Ikari-kun" Hikari answered, tossing a nervous glance down the hallway to the door to the Second Children's room. "She... said that she's not feeling well right now." Hikari continued.  
  
"I see. Thank you, Hokari-san," Shinji replied with some sadness in his voice.  
  
The party resumed the noise lever it had before. Shinji passed from group to group, being asked if he was ok and told how nice it was to see him home. Most of the time he stammered out nothing more than thanks and fled. Kaji however told him something differently.  
  
"Do you have your purpose now, Shinji?" the unshaven man asked.  
  
"My... purpose, Kaji-san?"  
  
"To pilot now? Now that you know what will happen if you don't?"  
  
Shinji tossed quick glances at both Rei and the door to Asuka's room.  
  
Kaji chuckled. "I should have known," he said with a smile.  
  
Shinji looked at the man with confusion on his face.  
  
Kaji's smile grew wider; "Maybe saving the world and humanity is a little unclear for a young boy. Saving it for two pretty girls now, a lot of men have done so."  
  
Kaji chuckled and walked away before Shinji had a chance to respond to his words.  
  
The young boy then looked around for someone to talk to, or avoid. Seeing that Rei was still standing close to the entrance way alone, he decided that now would be the time to tell her what he had meant to earlier that day. Taking a deep breath, he approached the silent girl pale girl. "Ayanami?" he asked softy.  
  
"Ikari-kun" Rei responded impassively.  
  
Licking his lips nervously, Shinji asked, "Could I talk with you for a second, if you don't mind?"  
  
Rei looked at him and nodded slightly.  
  
Shinji took another breath, "Um, alone? We could... We could go out on the patio if you'd like."  
  
"As you wish, Ikari-kun," Rei said and started to walk towards the door that lead out to the balcony of Misato's apartment.  
  
Shinji took a second to steady himself then followed.  
  
The cooler night air felt good on Shinji's skin, and the smell sweet after the crowded conditions of the apartment. The full moon rose over Tokyo-3, reflecting off the buildings that had risen and locked back into position after the last attack. The moon also washed out the colors of the balcony, turning Shinji's skin as pale as Rei's and making his brown hair look black in the moonlight.  
  
Rei herself almost glowed under the pale moonlight. She moved to the railing and looked over the city for a few seconds before turning to regard Shinji with her red eyes. "What is it you wish to speak with me about, Ikari-kun?"  
  
"I... wanted to say thank you, Ayanami," Shinji said.  
  
"Thank... you?" Rei asked. 'Words of gratitude,' she thought. 'I give them only to Ikari-kun and never to him. I only hear them from Ikari-kun and never from him.' She shivered as something close to an electric shock seemed to drive through her body.  
  
Shinji nodded then walked next to her on the railing, leaning forward slightly to face Tokyo-3. "After the 12th Angel, when you came to see me. I never told you thank you."  
  
"I... see," Rei said softly.  
  
"No one, I mean besides Misato-san, really ever came to see me." Shinji looked back at Rei, "It was nice to have someone come there. And, I just wanted to say thank you for doing so."  
  
The corners of Rei's mouth inched up into a smile, "I'm glad."  
  
Startled, Shinji turned to face Rei instead of looking over at her. Even in the moonlight he could see that her eyes were more alive than he usually had seen them. Her very body language changed, growing softer, more lifelike. "You are?" he asked tentatively.  
  
She nodded and smiled some more. "I am glad, just as I'm glad to be here with you now, Ikari-kun." Rei slowly reached out to take the shocked boy's hand.  
  
"Ayanami?" Shinji asked, not knowing what to do as the girl took his hand and held it in a warm grasp. His mind working on overdrive, he noted her smooth skin and her bright smile.  
  
Rei opened her mouth to say something, and then jerked it open in a soundless scream. Her eyes rolled back into her skull and she dropped to the ground, spastically jerking. Only her grip on Shinji's hand did not change as she had a seizure on the floor of the balcony.  
  
"AYANAMI!" Shinji screamed.  
  
His scream called Misato who burst out onto the balcony, "Shinji? What's going on? Why did you scream?" she asked. She found Shinji crouching over the jerking form of Rei, holding her hand and calling to her.  
  
"Ayanami, what's wrong?" he kept asking. He looked up at a shocked Misato. "Misato-san, help me! Ayanami just... she just..."  
  
Misato got a hold of herself and dropped back into the command persona that was so familiar to all in the apartment. "Ritsuko!" she called, "Something's happen to Rei."  
  
Ritsuko pushed her way next to the still trembling form of Rei. "Seizure!" she called to Misato. The doctor pushed herself to her knees and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. Pushing a button, she waited a second to start barking orders. "Send an airlift to Major Katsuragi's quarters. The First Children is in need to medical attention. Have the staff standing by at the infirmary and contact the Commander and let him know our ETA." She then turned back to Misato, "I'm taking Rei back to NERV. Calm Shinji down and I'll let you know when I have some more news," she said over the already audible hum of an approaching aircraft.  
  
Misato nodded and pulled Shinji away from Rei, who had stopped jerking and now just lay still in the flood of the moonlight looking paler than death.  
  
"Will she be all right?" he pleaded with Ritsuko.  
  
Ritsuko nodded absently and picked up the still form and started to make her way through the crowd of concerned people and to the door. "She should be, I'll call," she tossed out before leaving with Rei. A few moments later, the airlift was heard lifting off.  
  
"She'll be ok, right Misato?" Shinji desperately asked his guardian.  
  
Misato could only hug him close and hope that she would be.  
  
NEON  
  
GENESIS  
  
EVANGELION  
  
End of Chapter one  
  
Next time on Neon Genesis Evangelion: Rejection:  
  
Shinji and Misato await word on Rei and what has happened to her. At this vulnerable time for him Misato is suddenly called to NERV and locked in a cell. Alone, Shinji must confront the Second Child!  
  
  
  
OMAKE!  
  
Shinji's answer was cut short by the sound of the door opening and quiet slippered footsteps coming across the floor. Shinji turned then looked back quickly and gulped. He had seen Rei naked, in a bathing suit, and in a plug suit, but NEVER like this.  
  
"Oh my God!" Misato whispered.  
  
Rei looked at her two houseguests with curiosity over the beak and yellow feathers of her giant chicken suit that she had begged Gendou to get her a few short months ago. "Ikari-kun, Major Katsuragi?"  
  
End  
  
Author's Notes  
  
Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope you'll enjoy it. All C&C can be sent to jusenkyoguide@mailcity.com BTW.  
  
Ja ne!  
  
Jusenkyo Guide 


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